Sulphur Springs City Manager Marc Maxwell presented the following report to the Sulphur Sprigs City Council during their Dec. 7, 2021 meeting:
COVID-19 RESPONSE
The Delta variant wave of Covid-19 declined for several months, but now the trend seems to have turned around. The number of active cases in Hopkins County fell from 122 to 44 in November, but quickly rebounded to 65. The number of COVID cases at the hospital also dropped to 2 in November but then rebounded to 9 as of the writing of this report.
CLAIMS
We did not have any liability claims in November.
We did incur one minor workers compensation claim. A police officer sustained injuries while trying to pen a bull in the 300 block of League Street.
SENIOR CITIZENS BUILDING
We are in the process of applying for a grant to enlarge the building. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs recently announced a grant program called the Texas Community Resiliency Program that will award grants between $500 thousand and $5 million for qualifying projects. Senior citizen centers are specifically called out as a qualifying project.
SAPUTO SEWER MAIN
Everything is done except the final inspection.
COLLEGE STREET
Work has begun on the project. The Capital Construction Division has installed a new sewer main and new water main between Oak and Jackson. Next, they will construct a small drainage component and then the project will progress to the east.
We will advertise for bids for construction of the concrete street this winter.
REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES
Finance Director Lesa Smith will present a report of year-to-date revenues and expenditures
RUNWAY/TAXIWAY REHAB
This $1.9 million project is in progress. We are getting close.
STREET IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
Two street segments remain: More delays from Texana land and Asphalt. We still lack League and Lee Streets. Woodbridge crossing is in progress.
MISCELLANEOUS
Elsewhere around the city, employees:
- Checked out 2,588 items from the library.
- Made lighting system repairs downtown and strung zillions of Christmas lights in preparation for the holiday season.
- Repaired runway lights at the airport.
- Cleaned and repaired several apparatuses at the wastewater treatment plant.
- Treated wastewater effluent to a daily average total suspended solids (TSS) count of 0.55 mg/L. Our limit is 12 mg/L.
- Repaired 12 water main ruptures.
- Replaced 13 water meters.
- Unstopped 23 sewer mains.
- Washed 75,000 feet of sewer mains.
- Made 4 new sewer taps.
- Treated 145 million gallons of potable water.
- Flushed 36 dead end water mains.
- Repaired 228 potholes.
- Made 3 major street repairs following utility repairs.
- Demolished a structure at 514 Woodlawn.
- Made preparations to improve drainage system on Hinnant/MLK.
- Responded to 163 animal control calls while achieving an 88% adoption rate.
- Made 3 felony arrests in the Special Crimes Unit.
- Responded to 2,079 calls for police including 39 accidents, wrote 400 citations, recorded 48 offenses, and made 48 arrests in the patrol division.
- Trimmed downtown trees.
- Put up Thanksgiving and Christmas banners.
- Made repairs at Kids Kingdom.
- Hosted 1 baseball tournament.
- Trimmed trees at the soccer complex.
- Pressure washed sidewalks at Coleman Park.
- Installed security lighting at the north parking lot at Coleman Lake.
- Responded to 213 calls for fire/rescue including 1 vehicle fire.
- Performed preventative maintenance on 79 fire hydrants.
- Performed 15 fire inspections.
- Sold 1,751 gallons of AvGas and 7,968 Gallons of JetA fuel.
- Conducted 23 building inspections, 13 electrical inspections, 10 plumbing inspections, 10 mechanical inspections and issued 28 building permits
